LINKS last 2 weeks

MEDIA GALLERY Last 7 Days

Josh Demers of Montpelier, a rookie contender in the Allen Lumber Street Stocks, has won the use of an RV courtesy of Mekkelsen RV, due to his victory earlier in the season. Each feature winner at Barre’s Thunder Road (from the Late Model, NAPA Tiger Sportsman and Allen Lumber Street Stocks) is entered into a season ending drawing where one win’s a long weekend’s use of an RV provided by the East Montpelier RV dealership.

During the pre-race award ceremonies on September 30th at the ‘Nation’s Site of Excitement’, 41 eligible drivers names were placed into a hat for the drawing. Six drivers received additional entries for multiple wins in the 2006 season. Demers was shocked when he heard he had won a long weekend’s use of a class “C” motor home, a value of nearly $1,000.

“As a first year racer it was incredible to score my first career victory, but to win the use of an RV for a weekend is awesome,” the excited 19 year-old stated. “I haven’t thought about where I’ll take the RV, but I’m sure I’ll have a lot of fun, I’m glad that Mekkelsen’s offers this to feature winners, it’s very unique,” he finished.

Demers’ victory at the quarter-mile high banked oval came on July 6th in the Charter Communications/CMT Trophy Dash. The youngster had battled his way through the field and rounded the last turn of the final lap in third place. In the blink of an eye, the first two cars bumped and he dove to the infield to avoid the spinning cars. The instinctive move earned him a first career checkered flag and eligibility in the Mekkelsen RV drawing. Demers plans to return to the four-cylinder division in 2007

A pair of young drivers employed different methods to affect the same outcome Sunday at Barre’s Thunder Road in the New England Dodge Dealers season finale. Sophomore NAPA Sportsman competitor Nick Sweet of Barre and Milton’s Eric Badore, an Allen Lumber Street Stock racer were both victorious in their respective added distance main events.

Badore, who started deep in the 34-car field, led only one lap around the high banked, quarter-mile oval and it was the one that counted. The victory, his third of the season, was the icing on the championship cake for the Dodge Daytona driver.

Entering the last race of the year with a 21 point advantage, Badore knew he had to keep season-long nemesis Kyle Tatro of Hyde Park in sight to secure his first division title. Instead of playing it safe, Badore worked his way through the pack. As the laps wound down he moved in to challenge leader Steve Quenneville and was able to nose ahead as the checkers flew.

Quenneville of Barre finished second and early race leader, Underhill’s Dave Fields was third. Completing the top five was freshman competitor David Greenslit from Waitsfield in fourth and Hardwick’s Greg Adams.

Unlike Badore, who seemed to catch a few breaks along the way, Tatro found himself struggling to keep Badore’s machine in sight. To have any chance at the “King of the Road” title, Tatro needed to finish at leads 11 positions ahead of Badore. Unfortunately Tatro never got the chance to mount an attack and finished seventh in the 35 lap NEDD feature.

RUSSELL INGERSON RETURNED TO THUNDER ROAD SUNDAY AS A FORMER MILK BOWL CHAMPION AND FIRST TO WIN THE RACE BACK-TO-BACK. HE'S WATCHED BY HIS SON, RUSSELL JR AND GRANDSON CHRISTIAN AS HE CHECKS OUT THUNDER ROAD'S FRONT STRETCH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SOME 30 YEARS. THE ELDER INGERSON PLANS TO RETURN ON OCT 8 FOR THE RESCHEDULED RACE

A ROSE AMONG TWO THORNS - SARAH WILLIAMS BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN A POWERSHIFT WARRIOR FEATURE RACE WITH HER VICTORY IN THE DIVISION'S NEW ENGLAND DODGE DEALERS MAIN EVENT.

THERE WAS HARDLY ROOM TO MOVE SATURDAY IN THUNDER ROAD'S PITS AS NEARLY 175 CARS ACROSS FOUR DIVISIONS JAM PACKED THE AREA